ePortfolios: My Take

I’m really motivated by the idea of a portfolio. The whole concept has shifted my perspective on my work. The idea that it will be seen and not shoved back into the annals of my Google Drive changes the way I look at it. I can already see how this is a way to more readily connect my ideas and my research, and treat it as holistic project. “ePortfolios provide learners an opportunity to find their voice, learn how to learn and share what they have learned with each other” (Harapnuik & Thibodeaux, 2023, p.140).

My ePortfolio can benefit others in my career by laying out a rationale, vision, and path towards innovative practices. It turns my ideas into something others can actually use. It shares practices that other can adapt; people can look at examples and use them or adjust them to fit their own needs. “ePortfolios allow you to showcase your capabilities, experiences, and learning through diverse artifacts such as documents, media, and more. It's a way for you to contextualize these artifacts for a specific audience, such as your teachers, potential employers, or graduate schools” (Taptamat, 2022, 0:45).

One of the best parts of this portfolio is that it’s documenting work that has practical and direct application to my career. It’s not just the portfolio but the grad program itself that empowers me to focus on real world application. The innovation project and proposals I’m working on are things that I really want to implement. This is very motivating for me. “Research confirms that authenticity is developed through engagement with real-world tasks. Authentic learning can deepen knowledge creation and ultimately help the learner transfer this knowledge beyond the classroom (Driscoll, 2005; Nikitina, 2011)” ((Harapnuik & Thibodeaux, 2023, p.130). Therefore, this portfolio won’t just be a nice record of my work in grad school but it will serve as a resource when I’m pushing for innovative change by using it as reference for colleagues and stakeholders that I’m seeking to persuade.

References

Harapnuik, D., & Thibodeaux, T. (2023). COVA: Inspire learning through choice, ownership, voice, and authentic experiences. EdTech Books.

Taptamat, N. (2022, December 29). What is an eportfolio? [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-cgRBoE-Ejc